Katharine McPhee, Nick Cokas Engaged For Real Now!

We first reported that beautiful American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee got engaged to actor beau Nick Cokas back on September 29. But this blissful piece of celebrity gossip was not widely confirmed until now.

Katharine McPhee, 23, recently has been showing off a ring from Nick Cokas, 42, reports People magazine. They have been dating for quite some time.

"Katharine is bubbling over with excitement for their upcoming wedding," a source close to the couple says. "She is all smiles when she talks about the planning. It sounds like everything is going very smoothly."

Nick Cokas: Lucky longtime Katharine McPhee boyfriend turned fiance.

The couple met in 2005 when they performed in a L.A. theater production of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Their union began as a friendship, McPhee said.

"He took me up to my San Francisco (American Idol) audition," McPhee said. That's when a relationship blossomed. "We totally fell in love," she said.

As for the 19-year age gap between Nick Cokas and herself, McPhee says it "was never a concern." They connect because "he just makes things really fun" and "we love business. We love going to meetings together and create things together."

Case in point: the two will join forces on an upcoming independent film titled The Last Caller. Katharine McPhee will star in the dark romantic comedy and Nick Cokas will reportedly be producing the work.

Katharine McPhee, whose debut CD came out earlier this year, is currently filming an Anna Faris comedy called I Know What Boys Like, as well.

We're happy for this seemingly nice couple, who have been together since way back before anyone knew who Kat McPhee was. Congratulations again to Nick Cokas - who likely gets to see Katharine McPhee in this position fairly often. Damn.